Live rock

[KTnJer]

Hey all! First of all hey from Roanoke!

We were wondering if anyone had any live rock for sale? The cheapest place we found it was at UA, but still a little out of our budget. If anyone could help us out it would be greatly appreciated!

We may go with a little base rock, then live rock on top of that. Is that a good idea for now? Thanks so much and we are glad we found this site!

Jeremy & Katy

 

[J. Montgomery]

Dry base rock is definitely a good cost effective idea. It doesn't take too much live rock to jump start your system.

 

[Russellaqua]

I have 40 lbs that I'm selling for $2/lb + shipping. Shipping can be as low as around $1/lb depending on exactly where you are.

 

[KTnJer]

Looking for some local live rock...anyone got any to help me out?

 

[surfn]

what was the price at UA?

 

[KTnJer]

I believe it was $8/lb...

 

[surfn]

that may seem high, but it is the highest quality live rock you'll get in the area. if you can find it cheaper, i'm sure its not going to be as good.

i know zooquatic used to sell "liverock" at like $7lb, and IMO was nothing more than dry base rock that had been soaking in a tub for 2 or 3 months...lol.

the thing that is nice about the stuff at UA, is that has TONS of small caves for bugs, and other small organisms to grow in....which helps the natural biofiltration of your tank MUCH more than a huge dry base rock boulder.

IMO, i would go with half live rock from UA, and have dry base rock if you are desperate to save money. but skimping on live rock is not something you want to do on a new setup if you want to do it the right way.

even if it means buying 4lbs of live rock every couple of weeks or so......that still better than trying to cut corners.

if you are ever in the Richmond area, Atlantis sells a really nice aquacultured dry base rock that is hand made by a local. they sell it for $3/lb and it comes in all kinds of shapes and sizes. i wouldn't recommend someone go 100% with that in their tank, but a 50/50 mix may work pretty well. i have some of it in my tank, but its not very much. i just use it to mount corals.

 

[KTnJer]

Thats basically all I am looking for is a few lbs. of live rock. Maybe 3-4 big chunks and I'm getting the rest in base rock. I got a good sized chunk from a guy locally the other night that is full of coralline algae and very nicely cured, with the bristle worms and full of pods too that he had in his fuge.

When I stopped at UA last Thursday, I asked them about some base rock but the big Sam told me that they were out of it and not sure if he had anymore in storage neither. They have it really cheap there and I am willing to get a few lbs. if they ever get some more in stock.

I can say after putting a hunk of prolifera and that chunk of live rock in the tank, it is looking much clearer today than it has been in weeks!

 

[surfn]

yeah.....wonder when they will get more in.

 

[coolfish5]

To be fair, ZooQuatic is under new ownership, and I can tell you there has not been wet base rock sold as live rock since the store was sold.

i know zooquatic used to sell "liverock" at like $7lb, and IMO was nothing more than dry base rock that had been soaking in a tub for 2 or 3 months...lol.